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Exotic New Superconductors Delight and Confound

The article from Quanta Magazine discusses the recent discovery of new types of superconductors that have both delighted and confounded the scientific community. These new materials, which include uranium ditelluride (UTe2) and iron selenide (FeSe), exhibit superconductivity at relatively high temperatures and under unique conditions, challenging existing theories. UTe2, for instance, shows superconductivity at temperatures as high as 1.6 kelvin, which is unusually high for a material with such heavy elements. Moreover, these superconductors display exotic properties like "spin-triplet" pairing, where the electron spins align in parallel, unlike the conventional "spin-singlet" pairing. This has led to a reevaluation of the mechanisms behind superconductivity, with researchers exploring new theoretical frameworks to explain these phenomena. The discoveries have sparked excitement about potential applications and a deeper understanding of quantum materials, but they also highlight significant gaps in current knowledge, pushing the boundaries of condensed matter physics.

Read the Full Quanta Magazine Article at:
[ https://www.quantamagazine.org/exotic-new-superconductors-delight-and-confound-20241206/ ]